Due to the advent of the internet, hypnosis and its practice has burgeoned significantly during the past 25 years. For those who have a new interest or a basic understanding of hypnosis, the whole topic can seem to be a very confusing or even overwhelming subject. Science and medicine have researched and established hypnosis as valid and factual to the point of boredom. A quick search of Google will bring up plentiful correctly conducted research and clinical trial studies.

For thousands of years hypnosis and/or trance and trance states have been a part of almost every civilisation and society. Still, beyond the modern research the many opinions about exactly what hypnosis is are as diverse and as varied from and to ‘it doesn’t exist’, ‘it’s all in the imagination’, ‘it’s satanic’, ‘it can heal everything’, ‘it can heal nothing’, ‘it’s mind control’, ‘it’s energetic transference’, ‘it’s just the placebo effect’ etc etc? Despite the many diverse opinions, it can’t be logically argued that correctly applied hypnosis can be very helpful to assist with many physical, mental, and emotional conditions. Beyond the varied and diverse opinions, it’s all those things and many more.

Some people describe the hypnotic condition as a naturally occurring state, others as an externally induced state. Some say a hypnosis induction is simply a ritual, others say it is entirely necessary. Whatever the opinion might be either way, it can only be an opinion if it’s not supported by knowledge and practical skills. Often this isn’t the case, it’s second-hand news, or somebody else’s opinion gleaned off the internet. The internet offers only opinions and information but neither of those things are knowledge. Here we’ll try to construct the confusing into an understandable format.

Many Hypnosis Training Institutions mostly teach theory or hypnosis hybrids such as NLP or so-called Conversational Hypnosis. Or they have a significantly academic approach within their training curriculum; offering either none, or very little, practical training in actual trance inductions.

For almost thirty years The Australian Academy of Hypnosis™ has trained more than 3000 students nationally and internationally; many of them became very successful professional hypnotherapists. What the academy brings to the training arena are real hypnosis techniques that work on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level, these techniques have taken Rick to the top of the profession.

If you study hypnosis at Hypno-University, after the completion of your initial training you’ll still have the opportunity to access the online training and resource centre here at www.hypnouniversity.com

Ericksonian Hypnosis: This is a therapeutic model of hypnosis created by the American Psychiatrist Milton Erickson. Ericksonian Hypnosis is most effectively utilised by a skilled and experienced Psychotherapist. It is contentious as to whether Erickson’s model is hypnosis as it is traditionally understood. The method is commonly used during therapy but doesn’t usually require or deep trance states. Direct suggestion is replaced by ambiguity and a lot of metaphor is often used during the therapy sessions; which will usually be about 15 to 20 in number.

NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming: Regardless of what persistent slick marketing efforts may try to have you believe; NLP IS NOT HYPNOSIS. It is supposedly the study of excellence and it does have some interesting and no doubt effective strategies. NLP also offers a lot of insight into human communication behaviour and the mind. However, NLP is a communication skill and not hypnosis as frequently claimed by many of its proponents. After more than a decade of clinical trials and studies at respectable academic institutions; no evidence could be found to back up the many claims made about the power and effectiveness of NLP. If you are learning NLP, you are not learning hypnosis.

Traditional Hypnosis: Traditional hypnosis is direct hypnosis. It is genuine hypnosis, the type of hypnosis that despite academic opinion can make many individuals do things that are against their moral patterning or usual personality. Traditional hypnosis can be blended with Mesmerism, NLP and Ericksonian Hypnosis to create a very powerful therapeutic modality.

Mesmerism: Mesmerism is derived from the presumed father of hypnosis, the German doctor Franz Anton Mesmer (1734 1815). Mesmer was the first person to put the methods of Magnetic Healing into a unified theory. Mesmerism/Magnetism is not verbal hypnosis, verbal hypnosis was bought in to fashion by the Scottish Doctor James Braid. Mesmerism/Magnetism is probably more accurately described as energetic hypnosis as very few words are used to induce a mesmeric state. The Mesmeric trance is induced by Hypnotic Fascination (the eyes) and connection between the electrons of atoms at a subatomic level via Sime Waves. It is very different than hypnosis induced with verbal relaxations and commands and can be very therapeutic when applied by a well trained and experienced practitioner.

There are two primary uses for hypnosis, firstly for entertainment and secondly for therapy, both need a good teacher, and both will take a while of practice and persistence to master. There are also many other so-called hypnotic modalities such as Conversational Hypnosis -Autogenic Training – Parts Therapy – Private Subconscious Healing – Psych K and Street Hypnosis to name just a few. None are actually new, more so they are hybrids of something that already was. Don’t be fooled by snappy names and snazzy marketing.

There are two sides of the fence. A hypnotist needs to know how to induce the hypnotic condition, a hypnotherapist needs to know how to use the condition facilitate therapy. Mastering hypnosis is a lifetime endeavour and the only way to really learn hypnosis and what it is or isn’t, and can or cannot do, is to gain practical skills. Before you embark on that journey be sure that you’re learning from an institution that can truly offer what you want to learn.